How do I find the year my Japanese import was built?

Japanese-market cars have a chassis (frame) number such as AGH30-0250000 instead of a 17-character VIN. Japan's carmakers publish, through their association JAMA, the chassis number ranges each model was built with every year from 2015. Enter the number above and we find the range it falls in.

Is the build year the same as the year on the V5C?

Not always. The year on a UK record for an import can come from its first registration in Japan, so a car built late in one year can show the next year. A V5C year earlier than the build year is a reason to check the chassis number on the car.

Why can't you date a car built before 2015?

JAMA's lists start with cars built in 2015. For older cars the export certificate gives the first registration date in Japan, and the model guide gives the years the model was built.

A serial inside a listed range gives the year straight from the list. A serial in a gap between two ranges gives the likely year or years, and we say so. JAMA describes the lists as reference information, not a certificate.

What year was my Japanese car built?

Japan’s carmakers publish the chassis number ranges every model was built with each year. Enter a chassis (frame) number, such as AGH30-0250000, to see which year’s range it falls in.

That’s a chassis code without its serial. Here are the ranges JAMA lists for BPEP; add the serial after the hyphen to find the year.

BPEP · 3AA-BPEP, 5AA-BPEP · Mazda
Built	Chassis numbers
2019	BPEP-100025 to 101262
2020	BPEP-101263 to 102510BPEP-102512 to 102512BPEP-102514 to 102522BPEP-102524 to 102525BPEP-102527 to 102553BPEP-102555 to 102565BPEP-102567 to 102586BPEP-102589 to 102590BPEP-102592 to 102600BPEP-102602 to 102622BPEP-102624 to 102624BPEP-102626 to 102626BPEP-102628 to 102628BPEP-102630 to 102631BPEP-102633 to 102635BPEP-102637 to 102637BPEP-102639 to 102648BPEP-102650 to 102655BPEP-102658 to 102659BPEP-102661 to 102664BPEP-102666 to 102668BPEP-102671 to 102672BPEP-102674 to 102674BPEP-102676 to 102676BPEP-102678 to 102680BPEP-102683 to 102685BPEP-102687 to 102688BPEP-102692 to 102693BPEP-102696 to 102696BPEP-102700 to 102701BPEP-102703 to 102718BPEP-102721 to 102730
2021	BPEP-102511 to 102511BPEP-102513 to 102513BPEP-102523 to 102523BPEP-102526 to 102526BPEP-102554 to 102554BPEP-102566 to 102566BPEP-102587 to 102588BPEP-102591 to 102591BPEP-102601 to 102601BPEP-102623 to 102623BPEP-102625 to 102625BPEP-102627 to 102627BPEP-102629 to 102629BPEP-102632 to 102632BPEP-102636 to 102636BPEP-102638 to 102638BPEP-102649 to 102649BPEP-102656 to 102657BPEP-102660 to 102660BPEP-102665 to 102665BPEP-102669 to 102670BPEP-102673 to 102673BPEP-102675 to 102675BPEP-102677 to 102677BPEP-102681 to 102682BPEP-102686 to 102686BPEP-102689 to 102691BPEP-102694 to 102695BPEP-102697 to 102699BPEP-102702 to 102702BPEP-102719 to 102720BPEP-102731 to 102898BPEP-150001 to 150286BPEP-200003 to 200249BPEP-200251 to 200262
2022	BPEP-200250 to 200250BPEP-200263 to 200826BPEP-200828 to 200838
2023	BPEP-200827 to 200827BPEP-200839 to 200983

From the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year. JAMA calls them reference information, not a certificate.

To compare it with the car’s UK records, run a free check with its registration: we flag a UK year that comes before the build year. The chassis decoder shows what else the number says.

What the lists cover

Cars built in Japan from 2015 to 2025 by Toyota and Lexus, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, Suzuki, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi: 1,182 chassis codes, including cars built for another brand, such as the Toyota 86 that Subaru builds. Lorries and motorcycles are left out. Cars built before 2015, and cars built outside Japan, aren’t in the lists.

Source: the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表, 2015 to 2025, published by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association for garages and inspection stations. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year, and update them each year when the new list comes out.

Model guides with build years by chassis number

Questions

How do I find the year my Japanese import was built?: Japanese-market cars have a chassis (frame) number such as AGH30-0250000 instead of a 17-character VIN. Japan's carmakers publish, through their association JAMA, the chassis number ranges each model was built with every year from 2015. Enter the number above and we find the range it falls in.
Is the build year the same as the year on the V5C?: Not always. The year on a UK record for an import can come from its first registration in Japan, so a car built late in one year can show the next year. A V5C year earlier than the build year is a reason to check the chassis number on the car.
Why can't you date a car built before 2015?: JAMA's lists start with cars built in 2015. For older cars the export certificate gives the first registration date in Japan, and the model guide gives the years the model was built.
How accurate is it?: A serial inside a listed range gives the year straight from the list. A serial in a gap between two ranges gives the likely year or years, and we say so. JAMA describes the lists as reference information, not a certificate.